South Korea, one of the fastest evolving societies, has become a leading nation alongside America, Japan, and various European countries. It is astonishing to witness the progress they have made and their global impact. Their advancements in technology, automotive industry, culture, and entertainment have spread rapidly in the 21st century. However, why is their population decreasing each year? One of the primary reasons is the rising cost of living and educational expenses, as South Korea is renowned for its rigorous educational system. Additionally, gender inequality contributes to this issue. Despite South Korea’s development, it remains conservative in some aspects. Although patriarchy and misogyny have lessened superficially, they still run deep within their society and culture.

Although not every but a lot of women in South korea, who consider themselves to be feminists have been following the 4B Movement. The 4B movement has a “core” of, well, four beliefs, which are; no to marriage, no to childbirth, no to dating, and no to heterosexual sex (or relationships) mainly with men. This movement started around 2019 by the group of radical feminists in South Korea where they no longer see the means to “fight against” the patriarchy but choose to “leave it behind entirely.” This movement has evolved from several earlier online campaigns, including the “Escape the Corset” movement, which advocated for women to free themselves from sexual, social, bodily, and psychological oppression, and South Korea’s #MeToo movement.

One may think that this movement might seem “too extreme” but it clearly acts as one of the main ways where the government and society will be forced to hear the voices of women in South korea, because sadly a lot of the laws in south korea does not upheld the protection of women’s rights as much as they need to. The incidence of intimate-partner violence in the country was reported to be 41.5% in a 2016 survey, significantly higher than the global average of 30%. This statistic might seem more reasonable upon closer examination. South Korea has the largest gender pay gap among developed countries, with women earning 31% less than men, which is nearly triple the average gap of 11.6% in similar nations.

In Korea, there is a strong expectation to respect fathers and conform to strict beauty standards. According to followers of the 4B movement, Korean men are “essentially beyond redemption,” and the culture is “overwhelmingly patriarchal” and often “blatantly misogynistic.”

One does not need to delve deeply into South Korea to witness examples of misogyny and patriarchy, as they are evident in various online forums. South Korea is well-known for its idols, and its female idols have significantly contributed to the country’s economy and music history. Many girl groups and solo singers have created globally recognized hits. However, it wasn’t until the success of SNSD (Girls’ Generation) that these women were acknowledged as “real artists.” For a long time, Korean society viewed these singers on the same level as courtesans. Female idols have often faced criticism from the Korean public (mainly men) for displaying even the slightest signs of feminism, sometimes unintentionally.

In 2018, Irene, the leader of the popular girl group Red Velvet from SM Entertainment, found herself in a “controversy.” This term is in quotes because it is baffling to many how this situation could be considered controversial. One might assume she committed a severe moral or legal transgression, but no—she was simply seen reading a book by Cho Nam-Joo titled “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982.” This book, regarded as feminist, tells the story of a housewife who becomes a stay-at-home mother and later suffers from depression, drawing from the author’s own experiences. The book is often credited with inspiring a feminist movement in South Korea and sparking public debate on gender inequality and discrimination. The right-wing Korean public was outraged upon seeing Irene with this book and began tarnishing her reputation online.

Male “fans” posted pictures of themselves discarding and burning Red Velvet merchandise, particularly Irene’s. These images, now preserved on the internet, serve as a reminder of the absurdity of such actions. Despite this incident occurring six years ago, a similar situation arose with Yunjin of Le Sserafim, who was seen reading the feminist book “Breast and Eggs” by Mieko Kawakami. While some fans discarded her merchandise, most resorted to leaving hate comments on her page, which is equally as petty.

If reading a book can cause such an uproar, what does the future hold for South Korean women who wish to express their rights? In a country predominantly run by men, with minimal efforts to support women, the expectation for women to simply bear the next generation in such a society is disheartening. It is understandable why many South Korean women refuse to have children, contributing to the country’s declining birth rate.